RAMANATHAPURAM: A Rameswaram court on Wednesday issued an order to release on bail the five fishermen who were incarcerated at Madurai Central prison for ferrying two Sri Lankans from Katchativu to Rameswaram, on March 4.According to police sources, Kannan, Pandy, Kumerasan, Ayuthapoojai and Muniswaran of Rameswaram were ferrying Indian devotees to the Katchativu festival on March 3. During their return journey, they brought back with them two Sri Lankan Tamils, Usha and her four-year-old daughter Neera along with the other devotees, after they reportedly missed their boat from Katchativu.On March 4, the ‘Q’ branch police detained the five fishermen on charges that they transported the two Lankan citizens in a clandestine manner. They were subsequently remanded in the Madurai Central Prison.On Monday, other fishermen launched a protest against the arrest of the five persons. Meanwhile, the Indian Consulate General in Sri Lanka sent a fax message to the district administration, Police and Fisheries Department, stating that the fishermen were innocent and that they ferried the mother and daughter to Rameswaram as they had missed all the boats to Lanka. Based on a subsequent message from the government in this regard, fishermen association leaders, police and revenue officials took part in peace talks held at Rameswaram. During the meeting, the officials gave an assurance that the five fishermen would be released. On Wednesday, the case was taken up at the Rameswaram court and the judge issued an order to release them on bail. According to Superintendent of Police Kaliraj Maheskumar, the five fishermen were released and they would not be produced before the court again.
Comments
0 comment